Automatic scale.



J. L. JENKINS.

AUTOMATIC SCALE. APPLICATION FILED DEO.19,1907.

994,319, Patented June 6, 1911.

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THE NORRIS PETERS ca wasumsmlv, n. c

J. .L. JENKINS.

AUTOMATIG SCALE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG.19,190'7.

994,319. Patented June 6,1911.

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IN VEN TOR.

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J. L. JENKINS. AUTOMATIC SCALE. @PPLIOATION FILED DEG.19,1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orrroa.

J OHN LOWELL JENKINS, OF ST. .JOHNSBURY, VERMONT, ASSIGNOB, TO E. AND T.

FAIRBANKS AND COMPANY, OF ST. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT.

AUTOMATIC SCALE.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1911.

Application filed December 19, 1907. Serial No. 407,138.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JOHN LownLI; JEN- KINS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at St. J ohnsbury,-in the county of Caledonia and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Scales, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic scales, and consists in the construction of a scale comprising a cutoff gate for the flowing material, a weighing receptacle, a scale or lever supporting said receptacle, and gates for the discharge.

The invention consists in the construction of a momentum check'or arrester for the scale, and a recoil check therefor, also in the construction of means for closing the cut-off gate faster or slower as desired, in the construction of a lock and release mechanism for the discharge gates, and in the construction, arrangement and combination of the parts as more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view ofascale embodying my improvements, part ofthe stationary upper hopper being broken away; Figs. 2, 3 and l are diagram sections partly in elevation illustrating the different positions of the cut-off gate, the discharge gates and the direction plate or diaphragm; Figs. 5 and 6 are side elevations of the trig loop with portions broken away, with a portion of the beam shown in dotted lines, illustrating different positions of the momentum arrester and the recoil check; Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the trig loop showing the beam in section and the parts in the unloaded position of scale; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the momentum arrester and the bracket on the pin loop with which the arrester cooperates; Figs. 9 and 10 are side elevations of the lower portion of the load receptacle, illustrating the discharge gates and the lock and release mechanism therefor in different positions; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the cutoff gate detached, showing the counterweights; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the adjustable weight and the collar on the shaft, separated to.

illustrate the construction of the parts; Fig. 13 isvan elevation of detachedparts, which illustrates the construction of the adjustable stop lever for the cut-oil gate; Fig. 14 is a perspective View illustrating the construction of the lower edge of the weighing receptacle; and Fig. 15 is a partial side elevation of the lower edge of the weighing receptacle, showing the discharge gate, partially cut away, and the skirting at the end in section.

The scale herein referred to is of the general typeof construction illustrated and described in Patent No. 849,131, and the con struction and operation of the general parts is well understood and need not be described in detail.

The weighing receptacle 3 is supported upon a weighing lever 4, fulcrumed at 6, the end of the lever passing into the trig loop 22 and carrying the weighted counterpoise 7. The weighing receptacle is divided into two chambers by the central partition 3 and at the top of the partition is the direction plate or diaphragm5l, hinged and adapted to be turned to direct the material into either compartment of the receptacle. The plate 51 is supported upon a shaft which projects through the end of the receptacle, to which is secured an even lever 53 connected by the links 52-with the discharge gate 15, which is a-single piece arranged at an angle so that when turned in one position one receptacle will be open and the other closed and in the other position the last-named receptacle will be open and the first one closed, thus discharging material alternately from one chamber and the other. Centrally above the weighing receptacle 8 is a stationary hopper 5 and above this hopper 54 is the-receiving hopper 1, both the hopper 54 and the hopper l having open bottoms, and discharge from the hopper 1 being controlled by the segmental gate 2 secured to theshaft 36, as plainly shown in Fig. 11. On the shaft 36 are cranks 55 at each end, which are connected by the links 10 with the levers 9, the opposite end of the lever being pivoted to the frame 5 of the machine. 5

8 are rollers on the side of the Weighing receptacle, arranged to contact with the levers 9 to open and permit the partial closing of the gate as the weighing receptacle rises and lowers, as will be more fully hereinafter described. Upon the shaft 36 are the two counterweights 34 and 35. The counterweight 35 I have shown as fixed thereto and the counterweight 34 I have shown as adjustable thereon so as to have different counterweight-ing effects. This I accomplish by securing the collar 55 to the shaft and journaling the inner end of the counterweight arm on the shaft beside the collar, providing the counterweight arm with the segmental portion 56, having the series of holes or slots 57 and a set screw 58 passing through the holes or slots and into the collar 55, so that the counterweight may be adjusted at any desired angle to the shaft in relation to the angle at which the weight 35 has been set. On the cut-off gate is the lug or pin 11 which in the partially closed position-of the gate will strike the end of the lever 12 and act to hold the gate in position until the gate is tripped. It will be seen that the cut-ofi gate has the dribble opening or slot 13, which remains open when the pin 11 strikes the end of the lever 12. This lever is fulcrumed on a pin 60 which passes through a slot 61 in the bracket 59, and by locking this pin at any desired point in the slot the lever may be adjusted forward and back and thus the point of stoppage of the gate may be adjusted.

Attached to the discharge gates at the end is the segment 62. At either end of it at the top are secured the adjustable blocks 63, these being adjusted by means of set screws 64 engaging lugs in the segment. Each of these blocks has a notched shoulder 65, with which a roller 17 on the lever 18 pivoted to the side of the weighing receptacle is adapted to engage. The construction of the notches and the roller is such that the roller will not stay in engagement with the notches against a load in the receptacle on the disphalrge gate unless held therein by a latch or consisting of the counter-weighted bell crank lever 19 having the curved bearing 66 at the lower end, adapted to engage over the roller and hold it locked into the notch at either end of the segment.

20 is a slide having a roller 67 on the depending projection 20 This slide can be moved toward or away from the center by the handle 21. When in the position shown in Fig. 10 the projecting roller 67 comes in the path of the weighted end of the bell crank lever, so that as the receptacle lowers with a load it will strike the end of the bell crank and release the bearing 66 from over the roller (as shown in Fig. 10), when the weight in the chamber of the receptacle will rock the gate on its pivot, opening the discharge from the loaded chamber and closing the empty one. As soon as the receptacle This latch or lock I have shown as rises, the bell crank lever will rise above the roller 67 on the slide 20 and reengage the roller 17, and thus lock in its new position and hold it until it is again tripped. The slide 20 is pivoted on the side of the frame, and I have shown a lever 21, by which the slide may be moved into or out of operative position, so that if it is desired to stop the dum ing operation of the scale it may be done Fas shown in Fig. 9) by shifting the lever 21 to move the slide to such position that the bell crank 19 will not strike it as the receptacle lowers with the load therein.

The lever or beam 4 which passes through the trig loop is provided on one side with the lug 23 and the finger 28, and on the other side with the depending latch 31 having upon it a roller 33 which projects across the side of the trig loop and into the path of the curved lug or projection 32, Fig. 5. On the side of the trig loop is secured a bracket 68, beside which is pivoted the momentum check lever 25 which has a counterweight 25 tending normally to throw the lever to the position shown in Fig. 6. Upon the opposite side it has the shoulder or projection 69. At the top this lever has the inwardly extending lateral projection 7 0, having a vertical aperture 71 therethrough, in which the stem of a pawl 24 engages, the lower end of the pawl in its normal position projecting below the lower face of the lateral projection 70.

On the upper part of the head of the pawl and extending laterally therefrom is the guide pin 26. This pin, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5, locks the lever in its upright position by engaging against the end of the flange 27 formed on the inner face of the bracket 68, but when this pawl is lifted by the lug 23 of the beam striking it, the pin 26 is moved into the guideway 72 in the bracket, and then the counterweight 25 is free to move the lever to the position shown in Fig. 6. The limit of movement of the lever 25 is determined by a pin 7 3 on the lever engaging the slot 7 4 in the bracket. The latch 31 is of such a length and so pivoted on the beam 4 that at a certain point in the upward movement of that beam its lower end will swing inward and over the upper face of the lower crossbar of the trig loop, as shown in Fig. 6, and it will then act as a stop to prevent the downward movement of the beam due to any vertical oscillation, and also stop the recoil which might be caused by the lug 23 striking the momentum arrester lever 25. After the latch 31 passes upward from the position shown in Fig. 6, the roller 33 will be above the lug or projection 32, and as the beam lowers when the load is discharged the roller will strike that lug and throw out the lower end of the latch so as to be free from the' trigtloop and thus thebeam' may move 'to its lowest .position. l 7 1. .On the lower edges of theweighing receptacle, .I attach a yielding or movable skirt, '37. .This I showas narrow strips ofmetal 'extendingbelow the lower edges of the-body 'of the receptacle, and against which the cutoff gates close. This skirting may be yieldingly supported in any desired manner. Fig. 14 shows the side and Fig. 15 the end 'of the receptacle. In each view the skirting is provided with vertical slots 40 engaging pins 39 projecting from the lower Outside "portions'88 of thereceptacle. In case materialshould remain on the discharge gate as it isclosing, in thepath of the edge of the side of the receptacle, it would strike this skirting and lift it slightly, andthus permit the gate to move to its locked position. This is especially useful in handling large granularor lumpy material. I preferably apply a. stop40 at the corners of the recep- ;tacle1 against which. the discharge gate strikes (Fig. 15 A v The parts being thus constructed, their operation is as follows: The material being. fed into the receiving hopper 1, the.

ment. Just prior to this period of the operation the rollers '8 will lower away from the levers 9 and thus the receptacle willbe freed from the weight of the cut-off gate. It will. be perceived that the downward movement of the receptacle, with its gradually accumulating load, will have considerable mom'entum, and to prevent the momentum from carrying the. receptacle down too rapidly and thus cutting off the dribble opening too soon, I provide-the momentum arrester described. At the time whenthe receptacle is relieved of the weight of the gate, or thereabout, the beam being lifted as the receptacle lowers the lug 23 on the beam will strike the pawl 24 and .lift that pawl until the lug strikes the lateral projection 70, which will-act asa stop and positively arrest the upward movement "of the beam. This stop will prevent'a recoil which might set up oscillations in the beam, and to prevent this just 'atthis moment the latch 31 swings over the lower bar of the trig loop and checks the recoil and prevents any downward movement 'of the beam, thus stead-ying'it so that as soon as the lug is "withdrawn by the action of the counter-'- 111.9 receptacle is filled up the receptacle will parts. of the scale.

weight '25 the 1 beam may generally and steadily rise to enablethe parts to perform the succeeding operations of closing the cut ofi gate and opening the discharge gate. The closing of the cut-off gate is effected by the slotted arm 14 secured to the receptacle, the lever 12 passing through the slot at the upper end thereof, as .shown in Fig. 1. When the receptacle has lowered suflicientlv to engage the lever 12 and lift it out of the path of the finger 11, the gate will completely close and shut the opening 13. Just at this instant the lever.19 has been lifted by engaging the screw 67 on the projection 20 of the slide20 when the weight of the grain in the loaded chamber will open the gate thereof and swing the other gate to its closed position, where it will be locked in the manner described. 2

It is found desirable to use the two counterweights 34 and 35.- The counterweight 35 is as described a fixed counterweight, and'acts with gradually increasing force to tend to closethe gate, compensat ingsomewhat for the reduced weight of the gate itself as it moves toward its closed position. Inthe initial position of the parts act the weight 35, be neutral, or assist the weight 35, thus' varying the speed materially at which the final closing is effected. This is quite desirable, particularly with different kinds of grain.

While I have shown the momentum arrester with the recoil check applied to the scale lever or beam, it is obvious that such a device may be applied to other moving Also, while I have shown a "counterweight as the particular means of changing the speed at which the gate will effect its final closing, it is obvious that other -means may be employed for effecting the retarding or accelerating movement of the cut-off gat WhatI claim is r 1. In a scale, the combination with alever, adapted to move from an unbalanced lower position to an upper position, of a check automatically applied after a partial movement of the lever toward its upper position; to prevent return movement thereof, and means for automatically withdrawing said check for the return of the beam from its upper to its lower position.

' 2. In a scale, the combination with a beam adapted to move from an unbalanced lower positionto an upper position, of a fcheck automaticallyv applied after a partial movement of the beam toward'its upper posltion, to prevent return movement there of, and means for automatically withdrawing said check by and upon the return of the beam. to its lower position.

3. In an automatic weighing scale, the scale beam, and automatic means after the beam moves under a partial load for temporarily looking it against movement in either direction, and for withdrawing said stops or looks.

4. In an automatic weighing scale, the scale beam, means for preventing its re turn after it has moved under a partial load, means for temporarily stopping its upward movement, and means for removing the lower stop and restoring the upper stop on the return of the beam to its unloaded position.

5. In an automatic weighing scale, the combination with the weighing receptacle and beam, of a check comprising stops automatically applied during the upward movement of the beam from unbalanced toward balanced position to prevent its movement in either direction, means for immediately withdrawing the check for the up movement, and for withdrawing the check for the down movement on the return of the beam after reaching the balanced posit-ion.

6. In an automatic weighing scale, a scale beam or lever the counterpoise end of which is arranged during each operation to move upward under a primary load and to complete its upward movement under a final load, of means for preventing the return of the beam after completing its initial movement, and means for temporarily stopping its upward movement.

7 In an automatic weighing machine, the combination of the scale lever, the weighing receptacle thereon, a gate for restricting and shutting off the flow of material to the receptacle in two separate movements, means for imposing the weight of the gate on the receptacle during the first movement and relieving the receptacle of the weight just prior to the second movement, and an automatic arrester for the moving parts of the scale, preventing movement in either direction for an instant during the period after the receptacle is relieved of the weight of the gate and before the gate is closed, means for releasing the scale to permit its final weighing movement, and for closing the gate.

8. The combination, in an automatic scale, of a momentum arrester comprising a lever, a pawl thereon for locking the arrester lever, a lug or shoulder on a moving part of the scale adapted to strike the pawl when load is applied to the scale to release it and permit the lever to move, and means on the moving part of the scale for returning the lever and pawl to their initial position on p the discharging of the load.

9. The combination in an automatic scale of the, lever, a trig loop in which the counterpoise end of the lever moves, a counterweighted momentum check pivoted to the trig loop, a pawl for holding the lever in position to temporarily stop the movement of the weighing lever, and complementary bearings on the scale lever and arrester lever for returning the parts to initial position on the lowering of the scale lever on the discharge of the load.

10. The combination in an automatic scale of a recoil stop comprising a latch on the scale lever, a shoulder over which the latch moves when the lever is raised under a partial load, and means for freeing the latch from the shoulder in the return movement of the lever.

11. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination of the gate 2, the shaft 36 to which it is secured and by which it is pivotally suspended, of the counterweights 84, 35, and means for adjusting said weights to stand at variable angles relative to each other 12. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with the two-chamber receptacle, a double hinged gate therefor acting to open and close the chambers alternately, a segment connected to the gates having shoulders, a pawl engaging said shoulders, a lever for holding the pawl in the shoulders, and a stop releasing said lever as the receptacle lowers under full load.

13. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with the two-chamber receptacle, a double hinged gate therefor acting to open and close the chambers alternately, a segment connected to the gates, opposed shoulders thereon, a pawl for engaging said shoulders, a lever for holding the pawl in the shoulders, a stop for releasing said lever, and means for withdrawing said stop from operative position in relation to the lever.

14. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with a scale having a receptacle, of a hopper above said receptacle, a pivoted discharge gate for the receptacle, automatic means for oscillating said gate, a cutoff gate for the hopper, means for retaining said cut-off gate in a partially closed position, and automatic means independent of said first mentioned means for releasing said retaining means permitting the closing of the cut-off gate.

15. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with a pivoted swinging cut-off gate for the inflowin material, of a weight for assisting in the cfosing movement of the gate and a second weight acting to oppose the closing of the gate during the first part of the closing movement and to assist in the final part of said closing movement.

16. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with a cut-off gate, of a shaft by which said gate is pivotally suspended, and

a weight carried by and adjustable upon said shaft acting to oppose the closing of the gate during the first part of the closing movement and to assist in the final part of the closing movement.

17. In a scale, the combination with the scale beam, of automatically operated means for temporarily locking the beam against movement in either direction after a partial movement thereof.

18. In a scale, the combination with the scale beam, of automatically operated means for temporarily locking the beam against movement in either direction after a partial movement thereof, and means for automatically withdrawing said locking means.

19. In a scale, the combination with the scale beam, of automatically operated means for temporarily locking the beam against movement in either direction at a predetermined point in its travel, and means for moving said locking means to an inoperative position.

20. In a scale, the combination with a lever adapted to move from an unbalanced position to an upper position, of automatically operated means applied after a partial movement of the lever toward its upper position for temporarily locking the beam against movement in either direction.

21. In an automatic scale, the combination for temporarily locking the beam against movement in either direction after a partial movement of the beam and while the latter is under the primary load.

22. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with a cut-ofi gate, of a shaft by which said gate is pivotally suspended, a collar upon the shaft, a weight carried by and adjustable upon said shaft acting to assist in the closing of the gate, and a connection between said collar and weight.

23. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with a cut-off gate, of a shaft by which said gate is pivotally suspended, a collar adjustably sleeved upon the shaft, a weight carried by the shaft adjustable independently of the collar acting to assist in the closing of the gate, and a connection between the weight and collar.

24. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with a cut-ofi gate, of a shaft by which said gate is pivotally suspended, a collar adjustably mounted upon the shaft, a weight loosely sleeved upon said shaft and adjustable in relation to the latter independently of the collar, said weight acting to assist in the final part of the closing of the gate, and a connection between the weight and collar.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HOWELL JENKINS.

Witnesses:

PERLEY F. HAZEN, OSCAR E. BECK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

